A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH TO PREDICT ... - SuSanA

of it. This makes the use of water for flushing to be even considered a crime. 27 In
addition, one can mention the problem of food insecurity. Instead of retrieving the
nutrient contained in the faecal sludge and other forms of wastes and treating them for
re-use in agriculture, is overlooked in the conventional system. In the discussion about
conventional agriculture, it became clear that, it is becoming less popular because of the
presence of chemicals which affect health. Likewise conventional sanitation is also
becoming less popular now because of its health implications and other current
problems that it does not address. That is it is not sustainable. There is therefore a need
for a paradigm shift to where health aspects will be taken from the holistic level and reuse
sanitation approach will be emphasised. 28
This shift calls for the destruction of pathogens (germs) through separation and
treatment of wastes. Also, resources (water) should be conserved through a reduced use
of potable water as a transport medium (flushing) for human excreta and recover
wastewater for irrigation. Moreover, there is the need to close the resource loops
through the productive use of the nutrients and energy (biogas) contained in excreta.
Categorically, there are some sustainable criteria that need to be considered when this
shift is being made and these include health and hygiene which involves the risk of
exposure to pathogens and hazardous substances; environment and natural resources
which involves the needed energy, water and other resources to operate the systems and
how end result of the operation will be managed; technology and operation which is
about the easiness in operating the entire system; financial and economic issues which is
about the ability of the household and communities even in the grassroots level to afford
the system; and lastly socio-cultural and institutional aspects which is concerned with
the acceptance of the system. 29 The approach which is seen to take these criteria and
concerns into consideration is (ecosan). 30 That is, it is a sustainable, non-polluting
system based on recycling.
In reality, the principles of ecosan have been used for hundreds of years especially in
many different cultures in East and South-East Asia in countries like China and
Vietnam. Western countries largely abandoned the concept of ecosan for the
conventional system thinking that it fitted modern lifestyle. However, with current
27 Pinnekamp, 2007, p. 5
28 Panesar, Arner and Bischoff, Jürgen, 2008, p. 2.
29 Arno, Rosemarin, et al, 2008, p. 20
30 Ibid
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